Liberation of Ahrealia
by UneasyWriter
Summary: The siezure of a kingdom sparks a journey of vegance and liberation for the lone survivor of an ancient royal family. Khari De Marx has always lived the life of a rebelious teenager. Always shunned for being an refugee from war torn North Vale, she has l
1. Chapter 1

**Liberation of Ahrealia**

_1_

Khari Ahrealia stared at herself in the large ornate mirror and giggled happily. Her hair was a deep red and accented her piercing green eyes very well. She was dressed in the casual garb fitting for her title as Queen of the Northern Vale. A Gold silk gown with a modest neckline and silver pearls worked into the lacing. She was tall compared to many women of the kingdom standing just below six feet and her muscular figure filled the gown well even after having 3 children. And now she had just found that she was about to have another. Her alabaster skin glowed as she turned sideways in the mirror and imagined herself with child once more. She couldn't wait to tell her husband.

Unable to wait until after evening meal to tell her husband the news she decided she would interrupt the courtiers and give the news to him right away, besides that would make the day that much more glorious after seeing the delight in his eyes. As she rounded the corner that would take her to the Kings receiving room she glanced up from her daydreaming and her heart skipped a beat. The two royal guards and the page that were always at attendance outside the door were lying face down in a pool of blood. Khari rushed to the door and stopped her hand inched from the handle when a coppery odor iassaulted her senses. Immediately she knew what she would find behind the door, there is nothing quite as identifying as the smell of freshly spilled blood. Khari threw open the door steeling herself for whatever she would encounter, nothing could have prepared her.

Christopher Ahrealia, King of the Northern Vale, War Wizard, hero to the people, and her husband stared back from under a crimson river of blood and gore. Khari tore her eyes from the scene as if to deny its existence but she knew it was too late. She had seen the blades piercing his harms outstretched against the wall above Christopher's desk. She had seen the royal robes of gold satin and blue silk, now savagely ripped open exposing the cruelty that had been caused by the iron hooks still hanging from the empty cavity that once cradled his heart. The dazzling green eyes that could either charm the most impetuous baroness, or humble the most arrogant lord, were nothing more than empty sockets now.

A cry of rage and despair rose in her throat but was drowned out by a sudden explosion from the city outside. Confusion and shock clouded her mind as she tried to take in everything that was happening. She could hear the Guards and the palace staff screaming orders and warning about the city being under attack. She could smell smoke blowing in from the open window that overlooked the proud city of Ahrealia. The horror of it all made it seem as though a nightmare had forced its way into the waking world.

Movement to her left broke the numbness of her shock. Five figures stepped from behind the heavy window draperies. They all wore black form fitting clothing that seemed to absorb the light around them. The clothing was tight enough that Khari could tell that they all where men of slender but muscular stature. They all wore a matte black mask seemingly made from some medal, each face portraying a different emotion. The only colors adorning the figures were the glowing yellow eyes gleaming from behind the masks. "Keerians." whispered Khari when she realized what race of being had invaded her Kingdom and murdered her husband.

As if confirming Khari's assessment of their identities, one of the assassins bowed his head in greeting, smiling with those cold yellow eyes. Khari had heard children's stories about the race of people who were descendant from demons, people who would steal away naughty children and make them into slaves for their amusement. Uncertain fear gripped her heart as the Kerrian's casually and with deadly grace spread evenly around the room. Khari's eyes returned to her husband's mutilated body and suddenly the fear was gone leaving only vengeful anger and malicious wrath.

Khari heard Jacob De Marx, Captain Royal of the palace guards' scream in alarm as one of the Keerians rushed into the hall closing and bolting the door behind him. Sounds of battle erupted as the Captain engaged the Keerian in a life and death struggle. Khari turned to the four remaining Keerians. "You will all die this night this I swear by the gods." she whispered coldly as she closed her eyes and reached out with her rage and gathered the magical energy around her. It was there, just beyond the reach of human understanding. It called to her longingly, aching for Khari to command it, to shape it into her desires. The magic that Khari had touched all of her life was hers to command and hungry to aid her in her desires. "Slooooow", Khari whispered, drawing the word out slowly as if it were soothing and intimate.

The air surrounding Khari began to crackle, when Khari opened her eyes she saw that the Keerians were indeed advancing one her, but at a snails pace. The time dilation spell had taken effect and now Khari could exact her revenge at her leisure. Khari smiled wickedly as she casually reached out and plucked a shining curved blade from the hand of the nearest Keerian and used his own blade to open his throat. In the normal flow of time it happened almost instantly, but to Khari several seconds had passed. Khari quickly cut two more throats and let the time dilation spell drop.

To the remaining assassin his situation went from aggressor to victim in less than a second. One moment he was with his fellow Keerians about to slaughter the Queen of the Northern Vale, and the next his three companions were drowning on their own blood and the Queen was standing mere inches from him and he had a sudden pain in his gut. Looking down he saw that the Queen was holding a curved blade hilt deep into his abdomen. The shock in his eyes showed both confusion and fear.

Khari leaned in and whispered into the Kerrian's ear, "I want to see your face as you die demon." With her free hand she pulled the mask from the man's face and was surprised to see a regular man except for those eyes. With a twist Khari lifted the blade and pierced the heart. The man's yellow eyes slowly stopped glowing as he died. Khari turned to see the door opening, as De Marx burst is sword at the ready, his look of fear turned to one of relief when he saw that his Queen was unharmed. "Majesty, the attack came so suddenly I..." he voice trailed off as he looked past Khari and saw the tormented corpse of his king. Tears formed in his eyes as he fell to his knees and allowed his blade to fall with a defeated clatter to the tiles.

Khari, fighting back her own tears knelt next to De Marx and placed a comforting hand upon his shoulder. "Jacob, my husband and your King is dead. We must see to the children immediately. Please don't fall apart on me now, I need your strength for I am not sure that my own will be enough." She said with urgency and barely contained hysteria. Slowly De Marx turned his suddenly fearful eyes to his queen. "Majesty, I don't understand. I just came from the nursery; I assumed they were with you. The Children are gone and the nursery in shambles as if they were gathered in a hurry." Khari's blood ran cold. "Weep the Father and the Mother for the Keerian have the children..." Khari whispered, reciting a verse from the old nursery rhyme. Turning her stunned wide eyes to De Marx, "Jacob, they have my children...The Keerians took my babies."


	2. Chapter 2

2

De Marx grunted as he kicked the dead Keerian off of his blade with a wet thud. He had lost count of how many he had killed since the invasion. As far as he could tell the city was a complete loss and his only priority now was to get his queen to safety where they would be able to regroup and try to call in aid from the surrounding cities so that the Keerians could be pushed back to where they came from. He had managed to gather ten of his men on the way out of the palace and had lost five of them in the small battles since then. They had managed to pick up several people attempting to flee the city as well among them Shane Harris the smith who was now carrying the unconscious queen in his arms.

De Marx looked over his shoulder at Shane and whispered, "How is she?" Shane with a grim look on his face shook his head, "Not well, she bleeds more than I would think possible, if we do not find a cleric soon, I fear she will die." The Queen had taken an arrow to the chest from a Keerian archer just after leaving the palace. At first De Marx thought she had died instantly but the gods were merciful for the time being and she breathed still. De Marx spat a curse to the Keerians and tried to think of a way to get them all safely from the city. All of the gates even the minor ones had been taken by the Keerians, and each of them had to many guards to fight their way through safely.

The port was out of the question since that is where the bulk of the invasion was staged from in the first place. How they managed to get that many ships into the harbor unnoticed was a mystery but a mystery that could be solved later. "I am open to suggestions, anyone have any idea on how to get the hell out of here?" For a long moment so one spoke, then a woman's voice came from the back of the rag tag group. "I have an idea, but you ain't gonna like it." De Marx looked at the woman. He dark hair was long and curly but worn tied back by a black leather thong with silver beads. She dressed unlike any woman he had ever seen. She wore brown leather pants that were so tight they left little to the imagination and knee high black leather boots that were soft yet sturdy. Her outfit was finished off with a black leather jerkin that fit her snuggly and left little doubt that she was a woman. The woman also carried daggers that she wore on the sides of her boots and the two in sheaths on the backs of her hand.

She had joined up with the group just an hour before when they came across her fighting off three Keerians with a dagger in each hand. Since then she had proven to be able to give as good as she could take with those daggers. The style of fighting and her choice of attire made it obvious that she was of a trade that moved outside the law but right now he could care less if she were the Black Sorceress of Alrade, if she knew a way out of here he would take it. "Speak your plan woman, I don't like our current situation much either." The woman smiled and nodded to an abandoned tavern just across from the alley in which they were hiding. "In there, behind the old bar there is a trap door cleverly hidden under some empty kegs. It leads to a tunnel that will take you pretty much anywhere you need to go in the city. But more importantly, it will take you to a cave that lets out in grove of trees about two miles south of the city gates." De Marx narrowed his eyes, "And why wouldn't I like such an accessible escape route?" The woman grinned, "Cause for me telling you that, you owe me your protection. The guild would have me killed if they found out I told you about it, no matter the circumstances." De Marx allowed a grim sigh to escape him as he shrugged. "Very well, but you are a thief no longer, the first time you steal so much as a copper I will feed you to your guild master my self. What's your name woman?" The woman nodded agreement and said, "I'm Jenn Zoll but your guards know my name only as "The Wraith."

At the mention of The Wraith, several of the guards tightened the grip on their blades but De Marx motioned for them to do nothing. "Ok Jenn, lead the way." he motioned for Jenn to take the lead and moved aside to let her pass. She quickly led them across the street into the old tavern and inside. The whole time they were moving De Marx was thinking to him self, "Great, I just gave my word to protect the most notorious assassin the realm. How the hell do I get myself into these things."


	3. Chapter 3

3

Jenn was true to her word and managed to get them all safely out of the city with no more casualties. They were now camped almost eighty miles to the south of the city. They had come across a group of about thirty refugees fleeing the city, mostly farmers and craftsmen with their families who were in the city market plying their wares. They had managed to get their wagons and horses away before the gates had been sealed so they had much needed supplies. There was also a Cleric of Doryel with them much to the relief of De Marx.

The Cleric, Brother Doogan, was inside the back one of the wagons with the Queen now, along with Jenn who had been ordered by De Marx to watch over the Queen and who had grudgingly agreed to follow the order. De Marx had send three of his men to the three closest cities seeking aid five days ago as soon as they had met up with the caravan of refugees on confiscated horses, they were due back any time now and he was anxious to hear a report. The refugees had been more than willing to give up their horses and to share their supplies, especially since the only real protection they had now was each other and the small band of royal guards.

De Marx stood up as Brother Doogan stepped from the back of the wagon and approached him. The Priest wore traveling leathers as was the custom for a Follower of Doryel to Goddess of travel and celebration. His pale blonde hair hung in curly locks and framed his youthful face, a face that was now contorted with fatigue and sorrow. "I am sorry Captain, there is nothing I can do. The arrow that pierced her was tipped with a poison that is alien to me. My magic is not strong enough to force the poison from her system. She will not be with us much longer. I have managed to make her more comfortable however, and she is awake. She wants to see you." De Marx placed an understanding hand on the distraught priest's shoulder as he moved passed him towards the wagon without saying a word for fear his voice would betray his grief.

De Marx stepped up into the back of the covered wagon and glanced at Jenn who sat next to the Queen, her back ridged and dumfounded look of shock on her face. The Queen however looked at peace. "Hello Jacob, you did well getting us to safety, and I understand that Miss. Zoll was quite a help as well." De Marx smiled softly as he knelt next to his queen, "Aye Majesty, she help quite a bit, we owe her a debt." The Queen reached out and touched De Marx's hand, "Jacob, in the last moments of my life I would like so much for you to call me Khari, we have been friends since we were children after all." De Marx laughed softly, "Yes, Khari, we have been friends for a long time. Now you need to rest so that..." The queen cut him off. "You know that I am going to die no matter how much I rest. I have accepted that but I have one last order, no, on last request for you before I die."

De Marx leaned closer, "What is it Khari, name it." Khari smiled warmly at De Marx, "I want you to take the refugees past the Guardian Forest and into South Vale. On the South Western coast just passed the Cobald Mountain range you will come to a small fishing town called Twin Anchors. It is there that I want you to raise my daughter as your own. Teach her well as she is vital to the future of North Vale." De Marx raised his eyes brows in confusion. "Khari, your daughter is gone. Taken by the Keerians." The Queen shook her head. "I speak of my unborn daughter Jacob. She is the one who must be protected." De Marx looked as though he had been slapped in the face. "Majesty! I didn't know. But you can raise the girl on your own, the priest will I'm sure be able too..." in a firm yet forced voice the queen said, "Jacob, stop. There is nothing he can do. Even now I feel my life slipping from me, I used most of my life force in the transference."

"Transference? Life force? Majesty I don't understand." De Marx looked up at Jenn who still had not said a word and would not look at the Queen. "Jacob, I used my power to take the child from my womb and place her in Jenn's womb. She will carry my daughter full term for me since I will not be here. She has graciously agreed to be a surrogate." From the look on Jenn's face he believed it was anything but gracious agreement. "Jacob, I have also pardoned her for all past crimes she committed under the name of "The Wraith" I will not have the surrogate mother of my daughter be someday charged with murder. Promise me you will keep her at your side always and allow no harm to come to her." De Marx touched his fist to his chest and bowed his head. "On my honor, I will protect her as if she were my wife and I will raise your daughter as if she were my own."

Khari smiled weakly as a tear ran down her cheek as she turned to Jenn and reached out and clasped her hand. "Thank you Jenn, you have done me an honor, teach her all you know as well, I fear she will need it for all that lays before her. Do not tell her of her legacy until she has a chance to have a life of her own first. Then let her make the choice. If she wants to be free of the responsibility do not fault her, for it is a heavy mantle to bear, but if she does as I hope, and chooses to take back the throne and avenge our people, make sure she has the tools and the knowledge to do so. Give her this on the day that she makes her choice." She placed a ring in the palm of Jenn's hand. The ring had a brilliant blue garnet set into the center of the royal coat of arms. Jenn gasped, "The Queen's royal seal." Once again the queen smiled, "It is more than that, it holds all of my knowledge, and my mothers knowledge and so on down through history. When it is needed my daughter will be able to draw upon all of our families experience." Jenn nodded and placed the ring in a small pocket hidden on the inside of her pants.

"Now, Jacob, could you leave Jenn and me alone for a while? I wish to speak to her for a while." Jacob bowed slightly, "I will make sure you are not disturbed, and I will begin making preparations for our trip southward." As he turned to leave the Queen spoke again, "Jacob, thank you for being my friend before I was your queen and for being my friend now." "It has been my pleasure, Khari." De Marx left the wagon with a nod to Jenn and immediately called to his remaining soldiers. "We make for the Southern Vale as soon as our other solders return from the Cities." "They just arrived," said one of the men. "And it's just as good that we are going south, the other cities have been taken." De Marx swore again. "Damn, let everyone know, we leave at first light."

Inside the wagon, the queen was becoming weaker. "Jenn, I know that I have asked a lot of you, and I know it is against your nature to do this but I want you to know that it is appreciated. Thank you for giving my daughter a chance for a life." Jenn smiled weakly, "I'm an assassin, that doesn't mean that I'm completely heartless. I just never had time for children before and I never found the man worthy enough to give me a child anyway."

Jenn smiled, "I suppose I can't get much better than the child of royalty, neh?" Khari laughed weakly and winced in pain, "Never forget, that although she is of my blood, you will be more mother to her than she will ever know of me. She will need your love." Her voice was strained and ragged along with her breathing as she spoke. "What will you name her Jenn? Tell me now so that I might know her in death." Jenn began to cry, as she placed one hand on the Queen's and the other on her stomach. "She will be called Khari, after her mother." The queen smiled and another tear fell, her chest rose once more with a final ragged breath and whispered, "Tell Khari, I loved her before she was born..." Then Khari Ahrealia, Queen of the Northern Vale, and War Sorceress, closed her eyes forever.


End file.
